The Gap (Brisbane - Qld)

An assessment of population growth drivers in The Gap reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of May 2026, the population of The Gap suburb in Brisbane, Queensland is estimated at around 18,470 people. This reflects an increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,318 people. The increase of 1,152 people (6.7%) is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population as 18,459 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 89 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,475 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The Gap's growth rate positions it within 2.6 percentage points of the national average (9.3%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 84.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, with proportional growth weightings applied where necessary. Projected demographic shifts indicate a decline of 72 persons by 2041, but growth is anticipated for specific age cohorts, notably the 85 and over age group projected to expand by 537 people.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees The Gap recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, shows The Gap averaging around 30 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 151 homes. So far in FY-26, 15 approvals have been recorded. Between FY-21 and FY-25, there has been an average of 5.5 new residents arriving per year for each dwelling constructed.

Demand significantly exceeds new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. New properties are constructed at an average value of $628,000, indicating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

In FY-26, $1.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. New development consists of 91% standalone homes and 9% medium and high-density housing, preserving The Gap's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 650 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market. With population expected to remain stable or decline, The Gap should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

The Gap has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified twelve projects likely influencing the region. Notable ones are Waterworks Road Mixed-Use Development, Tallowood The Gap, Childcare Centre at 1019-1023 Waterworks Road in The Gap, and another Childcare Centre at 689 Waterworks Road & 6 Greenlanes Road, The Gap. Relevant projects are listed below.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Employment conditions in The Gap demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

The Gap has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. As of December 2025, its unemployment rate is 2.7%, lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%. Workforce participation is at 66.4%, slightly below Greater Brisbane's 69.6%.

A notable 33.8% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. Professional & technical jobs are particularly concentrated, at 1.7 times the regional average. Manufacturing is under-represented, with only 3.4% of The Gap's workforce compared to Greater Brisbane's 6.4%.

Local employment opportunities appear limited, as indicated by Census data on working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 3.2%, while employment declined by 3.6%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment growth of 3.2% and a slight fall in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to The Gap's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows The Gap had a median taxpayer income of $64,882 and an average income of $89,560. These figures are high compared to national levels of $58,236 and $72,799 in Greater Brisbane. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimated incomes for The Gap are approximately $72,253 (median) and $99,734 (average) as of March 2026. Income data from Census 2021 ranks household, family, and personal incomes in The Gap between the 81st and 92nd percentiles nationally. In income distribution, 29.0% of locals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, reflecting patterns seen in surrounding regions where 33.3% fall within this range. The suburb demonstrates affluence with 42.7% earning over $3,000 per week. After housing costs, residents retain 87.9% of income, indicating strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

The Gap is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The Gap's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.2% houses and 7.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in The Gap was 39.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 45.3% and rented ones at 15.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,253, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in The Gap was $490, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, The Gap's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,253 against the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in The Gap were substantially above the national figure of $375 at $490.

The Gap features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 82.9% of all households, including 44.1% couples with children, 26.7% couples without children, and 11.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 17.1%, with lone person households at 15.4% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

The Gap demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

The Gap has a notably high level of educational attainment, with 46.9% of its residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications. This figure is significantly higher than the state average of 25.7% in Queensland and the national average of 30.4%. The area's educational advantage is reflected in its strong showing across various levels of education. Bachelor degrees are the most common, held by 29.6% of residents, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.3%, and graduate diplomas at 5.0%.

Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 25.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.3%) and certificates (14.1%). Educational participation is notably high in The Gap, with 32.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.0%), secondary education (11.0%), and tertiary education (6.4%).

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Public transport analysis shows 76 active transport stops in The Gap. These are served by eight different bus routes, which together provide 1,203 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 255 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 82%, while buses account for 10%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 33.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 171 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

The Gap's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout The Gap based on AreaSearch's assessment as of August 2021. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 63% of the total population (11,578 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues affecting 8.3% of residents and asthma impacting 7.8%. A total of 70.4% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. The under-65 population demonstrated better than average health outcomes. The area had 18.1% of residents aged 65 and over (3,343 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, The Gap records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

The Gap's cultural diversity was above average, with 10.6% speaking a language other than English at home and 25.0% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in The Gap as of 2016 Census data, comprising 48.9%. Notably, Judaism had an overrepresentation of 0.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 0.1%.

In terms of ancestry, English (29.4%), Australian (23.0%), and Irish (11.7%) were the top three represented groups in The Gap as of 2016 Census data. Additionally, French (0.9% vs regional 0.5%), Scottish (9.6% vs 7.4%), and South Australian (1.1% vs 0.6%) ethnicities showed notable divergences in representation compared to Greater Brisbane region.

The Gap's median age exceeds the national pattern

The Gap's median age is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, The Gap has a notably over-represented 45-54 cohort (16.0%) and an under-represented 25-34 age group (6.4%). Post the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group grew from 12.6% to 15.6%, while the 35-44 cohort declined from 13.7% to 12.6%. By 2041, The Gap's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 85+ cohort is expected to grow by 107%, adding 493 residents to reach 955. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 77% of the anticipated population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 15-24 age cohorts.